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McCaskill Switches Position on DREAM Act

Support for Illegal Alien Amnesty Would Impose Burdens on Missouri

(April 8, 2009 - Washington, D.C.) - Sen. Claire McCaskill, who has long sided with law-abiding citizens and immigrants and opposed amnesty for illegal aliens, announced at a town hall meeting Tuesday that she would likely support the DREAM Act amnesty. McCaskill’s support for the DREAM Act represents a 180-degree reversal of her position, and a significant blow to hard-working Missouri families who are struggling to get their own kids through college.

The DREAM Act is a broad amnesty measure disguised as an educational initiative that would allow millions of illegal aliens who meet a very loose definition of “student” to qualify for green cards. In addition, it provides in-state tuition benefits for illegal aliens that will displace legal residents competing for a fixed number of college admission slots and taxpayer subsidies.

Passage of the DREAM Act would:

Reward parents who violated immigration laws through their children, and provide a powerful incentive for more illegal immigration.

Transfer seats and tuition subsidies to illegal aliens at a time when state higher education budgets are being slashed, admissions curtailed, and tuitions increased.

By broadly defining “student” it gives amnesty to large numbers of illegal aliens who may be pursing any sort of education.

Accelerate chain migration and exponential population growth because illegal aliens who are granted green cards will be able to petition the government to grant their parents and relatives legal status too.

“Sen. McCaskill’s reversal on the DREAM Act comes amidst growing pressure from illegal alien advocates, congressional leaders, and the White House to enact some form of amnesty for illegal aliens,” noted Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). “Unfortunately, in reversing her principled stand against amnesty, Sen. McCaskill is succumbing to special interest pressure and ignoring the interests and concerns of hard-working, law-abiding Missourians in order to reward illegal aliens.

“As the state wrestles with a projected $342 million budget gap for the remainder of this fiscal year, the passage of the DREAM Act amnesty would impose additional burdens on all Missourians,” Stein continued. “With the prospect of even greater budget shortfalls, and severe cuts in state services including higher education the DREAM Act would require Missouri and every other state to provide huge tuition subsidies for illegal aliens and allow illegal aliens to compete with law-abiding citizens and legal immigrants for seats at public colleges and universities.”

The Missouri legislature, with broad public support, has enacted legislation to limit illegal aliens’ access to state benefits and services. “People in Missouri, like Americans all across the country, have made it very clear that they reject the idea of amnesty for illegal aliens. While the DREAM Act would reward illegal aliens through their children, it would crush the hopes and dreams of countless Missouri families trying to provide opportunities to their own children,” concluded Stein.